We live in a world that demands that all things that are harmful or damaging be banned from the market place. Using a topical skin sanitizer that contains 62-90% ethyl alcohol should be no different. Commercial alcohol based sanitizers utilize commercial NGS (Neutral Grain Spirits) which is predominately made from the lowest cost fermentable grain, or Genetically Modified Organism (GMO grains). By and large, this alcohol is sourced from the US GMO corn production process.
Alcohol is recommended to be of 60-90% concentration to be effective as an antimicrobial. While this elevated amount seems to provide a “one size” fits all solution to hand and skin sanitization, it also brings with it numerous serious and potentially dangerous issues.
- At the 60%-90% v/v alcohol level, this is the same as 120-180 proof. That is that same amount of alcohol you would get from top shelf barrel strength bourbon at a minimum.
- People consume alcohol based “hand sanitizer” in efforts to get drunk.
- 60%-90% alcohol is flammable, Flash Point: 16.6 deg. C (61.88 deg. F)
- Alcohol based sanitizers only work when wet. As long as the alcohol is liquid gel form present on your skin, there is an antiseptic function being performed. Once the alcohol evaporates, any benefits are gone and with it goes your normal dermal protective layer of natural oils. Leaving your skin damaged, dry, chapped and exposed.
The skin is the largest organ of your body and is intended to keep essential things in and detrimental things out. Alcohol exposure inherently causes damage to the skin, which can be cumulative, or increasing severity over time and repeated exposure. Dryness, chapping and cracking are all side effects of excessive direct alcohol exposure. Once the skin is compromised, the ability to keep detrimental things out (pathogenic organisms) is reduced and compromised, allowing microbiological entities direct access into your body.
If you are of legal age to drink and you want a drink of alcohol, you should be able to select what you’re drinking, and how it’s prepared before you drink it. It shouldn’t be hidden in a clear gelatinous bottle of goop that slithers on your skin and smells of alcohol and fragrances. Say “NO” to alcohol based sanitizers! Bring Prohibition back to sanitizers! Save the alcohol for your cocktails!
Alcohol based sanitizers have long been the accepted practice, but no longer is this technology the only or even the best option.
For an alternative to alcohol based sanitizer, please visit prefense.com.
Everyone knows that there are numerous reasons why Alcohol based sanitizers should be avoided. They evaporate in about 30 seconds, they have limited efficacy because of the limited amount of residence time they offer. Since alcohol is a solvent, they also remove the natural oils normally found on your skin, leaving your skin dry, chapped and cracked. Now, In the last few days we have seen no less than 6 articles through mass media on children (& teens) drinking alcohol based sanitizers because of the 62% or higher alcohol content. (62% is equal to 124 proof). “Drunk on Sanitizer”, One report suggested that an 8.0 oz. bottle of the leading alcohol based sanitizer, contained as much alcohol as 5 shots. Since all alcohols are not the same, the differences between ethanol, isopropyl and denatured alcohol can be extremely dangerous.Traditional non-alcoholic based sanitizers are also surrounded with reasons to try them and also to avoid them. Water and sweat simply remove the sanitizer from your skin and leave you bare. Since non-alcohol based sanitizers just sitting on your skin, it takes very little time and contact to erode and remove them and any protection that they may provide, while leaving you exposed and susceptible.
Contamination from skin to skin contact or skin from contaminated surfaces account for an estimated 80% of the transferable diseases, they can be traced back to one of these two methods of transmission. The issue remains that everyone touches their face or an item that touches your face. Scratch an itch, tickle your nose, and rub your eyes. Everyone has a cell phone, wears glasses, or uses an earpiece etc. That leaves airborne as the third major method of transferal.
Basic protection steps:
Wash your hands frequently.
- Use soap, and warm water to wash with and continue the process for at least 20 seconds.
- Pay particular attention to the cuticle areas and nail beds. Also wash well between the fingers and in the natural folds of your skin.
- Dry your hands well. Don’t use the front of your shirt or the front of your pants, use paper towels or the paperless hand drier, make sure that your hands are completely dry.
- Sanitize your hands with Prefense® nonalcoholic Hand & Skin sanitizer that can protect you for extended periods of time. Our unique product has the active ingredient suspended and stabilized in a silica matrix solution that bonds with your skin. It contains no alcohol and lasts for up to 24 hours or through 10 hand washing. 1 dose lasts for up to 24 hours and comes in an easy to use foam that provides easy coverage to your entire hand. 640 doses per 8.0 oz. bottle. Same as .0265 cents per dose.
If you have to sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue or the crook of your elbow. Turn away from those close to you.
Wash your hands as soon as you can.
Prefense foaming hand sanitizer actively protects hands and skin for up to 24 hours or through up to 10 hand washings. Traditional alcohol-based products only kill germs that are actively on your skin, but don’t protect you after the product is dry.
Proper hand hygiene is the best way to mitigate exposure to cold and flu, and the spread of germs, bacteria, and viruses. Washing hands with soap and water is the first line of defense, but sometimes this is not convenient or possible.
You have 3 choices for hand sanitizers:
- Alcohol based gels, most of which are toxic and flammable
- Non-alcohol based sanitizers that wash off or evaporate shortly after application
- Prefense foam hand sanitizer, a revolutionary, long-lasting, non-alcohol based product proven to kill a wide spectrum of pathogens
Prefense can adhere to skin for longer than 24 hours, in tests our product remains bonded to the skin for up to 48 hours, however, human skin sloughs off at a rate of 20-40 million cells per day, limiting the recommended interval to 24 hours. The “through 10 hand washings” refers to 10 normal hand washing circumstances, such as a restroom break. If you are washing and drying your hands numerous times a day, operating machinery such as a sander, or working with harsh chemicals, we recommend more than one application to ensure protection.
The science: Silylated QAC’s have the ability to react with and chemically bond to inanimate surfaces such as cellulose fabrics, glass, zeolite, etc., with retention of antimicrobial activity. When applied to the hands, quaternary ammonium organosilane bind to the skin via covalent, electrostatic, or hydrogen bonds, forming an antimicrobial layer to inactivate existing skin pathogens as well as pathogens that contaminate the skin long after application of the sanitizer.
Prefense can be used as often as needed.
